My Pint Runneth Dry on Harry Redknapp

Seriously, piss off Harry! Reading your words tonight has left my pint half empty, and I just sat down with the evening paper. For those who haven’t bothered to read the drivel that managed to find its way to newsstands yesterday, I’ll enlighten you with a quote or two from old Harry Redknapp:

“Spurs could field two teams who could compete in the Premier League. They have a second team who would hold their own at the top level without any problem. For a start, they have five top-class centre-backs.”

Really, they can field two teams and still compete as a top level team “without any problem”? Five “top-class” centre-backs? Yes, they have five centrebacks. Hell, my over-30 footy team that features a bunch of out of shape blokes (no offence, gentlemen) can field five players, but it doesn’t mean we’re top class. So who is it that is top class? Okay, Kaboul and Vertonghen are nice. Kyle Walker has his moments certainly, but is he “top class” right now? They have two legit centre backs – the other three I’m not so sure about.

But wait, it gets better –

“They have loads of top-class midfielders. They’re full of quality everywhere.”

Oh, ‘arry, come on! So Spurs just has talent seeping out of every pore, eh? I disliked the guy when he was at White Hart Lane, not only because I happen to support that much more successful club on the other side of North London, but because Redknapp is an idiot. What makes him an idiot? Glad you asked. No matter which team you support, I’m sure you will agree with me that Harry Redknapp is a media whore. I mean, I like to hear my own voice (or see my own typed words) as much as the next guy, but this guy really makes good at every speakers’ corner.

Okay, there are some nice defenders and a few midfielders who can play, but to suggest that they can produce two lines of top defenders and mids is borderline insane. No really, that is seriously mental.

Having read the two quotes from above (which were made to the London Evening Standard, for those of you who care), don’t you get the sense that he still kneels down to Tottenham? Of course the upcoming match between Spurs and QPR are going to force him to at least say something nice to alleviate the risk of getting roughed up by the heathens from that end of North London – that I get. But clearly he went a few steps too far.

Look, this short rant has less to do with my thoughts on whether Spurs are good, or if their players are “top class”. I know they have some talent and are a good team. But I think Harry comes across very poorly in this interview. He seems to be on both knees in front of Spurs and their fans, as if he’s trying to cement his own legacy at a former club. How do I know this? Just when it couldn’t get more ridiculous, he had this to say… about himself:

“Not many people walk away from a club as popular as I was at that time.”

And that, my friends, is Harry Redknapp.

Not that you need more proof of his “media whore” mentality, but he is also in the news today for an unrelated matter:

Ole Harry believes Celtic and Rangers should play in the Premier League. “They should play in England. They’re two of the biggest clubs in the world. Maybe it would give someone else a chance to win something in Scotland if they left.” So because they’re big clubs (arguably) and win the SPL consistently, that makes it a reasonable idea to just allow them into the Premier League? Does that seem fair to teams in lower English divisions who are trying to earn their spots in English top flight football? Or what about to his own team, QPR, who are fighting for the EPL lives?